Based in Dalton Square, Lancaster Town Hall was officially opened on the 27th December 1909, by Lord Ashton.
It replaced the existing Town Hall, now the City Museum in Market Square, as the then Lancaster Corporation had outgrown the building. The Corporation was unable to finance a new building but Lord Ashton offered to pay for a new Municipal building.
Lord Ashton was a local multi millionaire businessman and industrialist, who had made his fortune after inheriting 'Williamson's', his father's Oil Cloth and Linoleum business. Based on the Quay at Lancaster, 'Williamson's' exported their goods all over the world.